The apparent cause of the rant was the interruption of photography director Shane Hurlbut during a scene in the making of the latest Terminator movie.

When Mr Hurlbut attempts to apologise, Bale shouts: "Don't just be sorry. Think for one ------- second."

Bale continues: "I'm going to ------- kick your ------- arse.

"Do you want me to trash your lights? Do you want me to ------- trash them?"

Speaking to E! News yesterday, Mr Franklin defended the star.

He said Bale was a "consummate professional" who just had a bad day.

He added: "If you are working in a very intense scene and someone takes you out of your groove – it was the most emotional scene in the movie – and for him to get stopped in the middle of it... He is very intensely involved in his character.

"He doesn't walk around like that all day long. It was just a moment and it passed."

Mr Franklin added: "This was my second movie with Christian, and it has always been a good experience with him.

"He is so dedicated to the craft."

Days after his tirade, Bale was arrested by the Metropolitan Police following an incident involving his mother and sister at the Dorchester Hotel in London on July 21.

The Crown Prosecution Service later decided not to bring charges due to "insufficient evidence to afford a realistic prospect of conviction".